Candidacy

Candidacy

Ministers should be free to serve well anywhere, without undue concern for their financial well-being or their long-term financial security.

Candidates for ministry need to be equipped early on with the skills needed to manage personal and household finances. Ultimately, this financial acumen translates into the ability to assist a congregation in the management of its finances, teach stewardship and promote faithful giving, and engage in all these activities in a direct, positive and forthright manner.

Financial counseling has been shown to be an effective way to improve personal financial well-being. Those who have participated in financial counseling have incurred less educational debt, decreased their already-incurred educational debt more rapidly, increased their credit scores, paid off their consumer debt more rapidly, lessened their financial anxiety and achieved overall greater financial health.

Did you know?

Research has shown that those who experience greater personal financial well-being are more satisfied and healthy as leaders than those who have poor financial health. Those in good financial health are more satisfied with their household financial situation, more satisfied in their ministry, and indicate that they are in better spiritual and physical health than those who are in poor financial health.

For Candidates

If you are exploring call (as a candidate, a seminarian not in candidacy, an applicant or an inquirer), you are strongly encouraged to participate in financial counseling through Lutheran Social Service (LSS) Financial Counseling, where you can engage in open conversations about financial wellness and financial literacy.

For Candidacy Partners

As seminary staff, synod staff, or a member of a candidacy committee, you are active in the process of raising up and developing new leaders and have the unique ability to influence those exploring call. Through this role, you may encounter students and inquirers who have questions or concerns about issues of financial wellness. Likewise, you may have questions or concerns about the financial wellness of students and inquirers.

You have partners in the financial counselors at LSS Financial Counseling who can help you and those exploring call navigate these issues and encourage financial wellness. Your promotion of financial counseling is vital and demonstrates accompaniment and provision.